First Observation | Appreciating the Deep and Enduring Power of Friendship Between the Chinese and American People

On the evening of September 24 local time, President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan attended a state banquet welcoming U.S. President Trump and his wife Melania, held at the White House. In his remarks, President Xi repeatedly mentioned "the people," "friendship," and "friendship ties," stressing that the cause of friendly ties between the peoples of China and the United States has broad prospects. The article reviews the foundation of peopletopeople exchanges between China and the United States from multiple perspectives, including history, wartime cooperation, civilian exchanges, and youth interactions. The maiden voyage of the "Empress of China" to China in 1784, the Flying Tigers fighting alongside Chinese military and civilians against fascism during World War II, and pingpong diplomacy more than 50 years ago that promoted the normalization of relations between the two countries are all important milestones in the friendly exchanges between both sides. The article also notes that in recent years, peopletopeople exchanges between China and the United States have continued to advance. The "50,000 in 5 Years" initiative has achieved its target ahead of schedule, and events such as ChinaU.S. scholar dialogues, civilian peace forums, and youth sports exchange weeks have been held continuously, while the number of friendly provinces/states and friendly cities has also been increasing. The author believes that the future of ChinaU.S. relations still depends on the mutual understanding and continuous interaction between the peoples of the two countries.